2.1 What is the purpose of this
chapter?
This chapter prescribes basic policy, criteria, and procedures for naming and
renaming units and unit sites operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service/we).

2.2 To whom does this chapter apply? This chapter
applies to all units that are under control of the Service.

2.3 What is the Service policy on
naming?
We will assign an official name to each unit and unit site that we operate to
provide distinctive recognition from other holdings, both administratively
and among the general public.

2.4 What terms do I need to know? For purposes of
this chapter:

A.Unit means any proposed or
existing research area, administrative site, and all components of the
National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Fish Hatchery System.

B.Site means any sub‑unit,
geographic feature, or improvement within a unit.

2.5 Who approves new names or name
changes?
Unless Congress or the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission mandated the
name, the Director will approve new names or name changes for research areas,
administrative sites, all units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and
the National Fish Hatchery System, and specific sites within units.

2.6 Who is responsible for implementing the
provisions of this chapter?

A. Regional Directors will ensure that
all proposals or recommendations for naming and renaming units and unit sites
comply with this chapter.

B. Project leaders will provide the
appropriate documentation required for new names or name changes and will
comply with the criteria and procedures in this chapter.

C. The Chief, Division of Realty,
Headquarters, is responsible for managing the official unit names of research
areas, administrative sites, and all units of the National Wildlife Refuge
System and the National Fish Hatchery System.

2.7 What criteria are used for
proposing names?
If neither an act of Congress nor an approval of the Migratory Bird
Conservation Commission established the unit name, the following criteria
apply to naming or renaming a unit. These same criteria apply to naming
or renaming specific sites within a unit.

A. You must give first preference to a
geographic or geologic feature identifiable with the unit's location, if the
feature significantly affects the use or the natural resources of the
area. The name of the feature must not be so commonly used that its
quality of distinctiveness has been lost.

B. If there is not a significant
geographic or geological feature you can identify, you may name a unit or
unit site for any wildlife, fish, or plant species.

C. Do not name or rename a unit after
any individual, unless it is a waterfowl production area (see paragraph H(1)
below). You may name buildings, trails and other facilities within a
unit after an individual who played a significant role in the establishment
or operation of the unit.

D. Avoid a name that causes confusion
with an existing unit's name (for example, Great Swamp National Wildlife
Refuge and Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge).

E. Avoid using a name already in use on
other Federal or State units in the same State.

F. Do not use a name that may be
disrespectful to any cultural or ethnic group.

G. Keep the name brief, distinctive,
descriptive, and acceptable to local interests wherever possible.

H. To provide consistency throughout
the National Wildlife Refuge System, all new refuge units, except waterfowl
production areas and conservation areas, must have "National Wildlife
Refuge" as the last part of the unit name.

(1) A waterfowl
production area that is commonly referred to by using the previous owner's
name may be named after the individual. All waterfowl production areas
will have "Waterfowl Production Area" as the last part of the unit
name.

(2)When the
Service has no fee title ownership rights, such as for projects consisting
entirely of easements, use “Conservation Area” as the last part of the unit
name.

2.8 What are the procedures for
naming a new unit?

A. Follow criteria in paragraph 2.7 when
proposing a name for a new unit.

B. The Director must approve the name
for any new unit.

C. You may select a tentative name to
serve as a temporary means of in‑house identification until the name is
approved.

D. When submitting the Preliminary Project
Proposal (PPP) for a proposed new unit to the Director for approval, you must
include the proposed name and documentation to support the selection of the
name (see 341 FW 2).

2.9
What are the procedures for renaming a unit?

A.
If an act of Congress or the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission
established the unit name, then only another act of Congress or approval of
the MBCC can rename the unit. If we established a unit name, then you
do not need an act of Congress or approval of the MBCC to rename the
unit. If a congressional act or MBCC approval refers to an existing
unit name that we previously established, we still do not need an act of
Congress or approval of the MBCC to rename the unit.

B. Any individual or organization may
recommend a new name for an existing unit.

E. We discourage, but do not prohibit,
the renaming of existing units. Name changes cause administrative
problems for the Service, as well as confusion and sometimes adverse reaction
by the general public.

F. The Regional Director must submit a
memorandum to the Director providing a critique of the proposed name change
and the reasons for recommending the adoption or rejection (if original
recommendation is from another source) of the proposal.

2.10 What are the procedures for naming and
renaming specific sites within a unit?

B. The Regional Director must approve
the names of buildings, trails or other facilities within a unit. You
may obtain approval by including the proposed names for specific sites in the
Decision Document (341 FW 2)
or by submitting a separate memorandum.

C. When establishing any geographic site
name, follow the standards and requirements of the U.S. Board on Geographic
Names.

For information on the specific content of this chapter, contact
the Division of Realty. For additional information regarding this Web
page, contact Krista Bibb, in
the Division of Policy and Directives Management.